CHE3007S Block2

Lecture 9
Feedback Controllers
Overview
• What are typical feedback controllers?
• How do these controllers work?
• How to choose a controller for a system?
Additional Reading / Learning
Sections of textbook by Seborg et al. to study:
• Chapter 7 – 3rd Edition
• Chapter 8 – 4th Edition

Glossary:
• PID Controller, On/Off Controller, Offset, Controller saturation, Reset
windup, Derivative kick
Feedback Controller

SP-CV Controller

𝑒(𝑡) MA 𝐺𝑐 (𝑡) 𝑃(𝑡)

Error Response
𝑒(𝑠) 𝐺𝑐 (𝑠)
𝑃 𝑠 = 𝑒(𝑠)𝐺𝑐 (𝑠)
milliamps - electrical input
What are typical feedback controllers?
• On/Off or Bang/Bang controller is one of the simplest types of
controllers

• The most common type of feedback controller used in industry is a

PID controller (Proportional, Integral, Differential)

• Sometimes a custom controller needs to be designed for a system

• Fuzzy Logic controllers
• Neural Networks and machine learning controllers
 On/Off Controller
A simple inexpensive controller typically used for noncritical systems

𝑝𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑒≥0 1

𝑝 𝑡 =ቐ
controller 𝑝𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑒<0
output

0 𝑡

Note the increments of your

measurement will affect how often
the controller switches on and off!

𝑒 𝑡 𝑝 𝑡
if i can measure things in large increments it looks like this
On/Off Controller
fixed amount of energy and then i switch it off like a kettle or a geyser

A simple inexpensive controller typically used for noncritical systems

𝑝𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑒 ≥ 𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑥

𝑝 𝑡 =ቐ
𝑝𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑒 < 𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑛

Note the increments of your 𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑛 sore tooth pattern

measurement will affect how often
the controller switches on and off!
If measurements are frequent,
additional variables are may be 𝑒 𝑡 𝑝 𝑡
needed
no smooth consistent error in a na on/off controller
PID Controller
Proportional Control
• proportional to the error value
𝐾𝑃 𝑒(𝑡)

Integral Control 𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 𝑡 𝑂𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡

• proportional to both the 𝐾𝐼 න 𝑒 𝑡 𝑑𝑡
duration of error
magnitude of the error and the 0

duration of the error

𝑑𝑒 𝑡
𝐾𝐷
𝑑𝑡 sloper of the errot
Differential Control term

• predicts system behaviour and thus

improves settling time *Note that this is in the t domain
Proportional Control
Response is Proportional to the error
bias steady state value
𝑝 𝑡 = 𝑝ҧ + 𝐾𝑝 𝑒 𝑡 Slope = 𝐾𝑝
𝑝ҧ - output at steady state
𝐾𝑝 - Proportional gain

𝑒 𝑡
In deviation variables:
′
𝑝 𝑡 = 𝐾𝑝 𝑒 𝑡

In s-domain:
𝑝′ 𝑠
= 𝐾𝑝 The key concepts behind proportional control are that
(1) the controller gain can be adjusted to make the
𝑒(𝑠) controller output changes as sensitive as desired to
p(t)
deviations between set point and controlled variable,
and that (2) the sign of Kc can be chosen to make the
controller output increase (or decrease) as the error
signal increases.
Proportional Control – Band Control
Realistically we cannot correct
unboundedly
• When a valve is fully open or fully Slope = 𝐾𝑝
closed it cannot further be
adjusted
𝑒 𝑡

• Reaching the output limit is also

known as controller saturation

p(t) p-min p-max

Proportional Control
Proportional control will always
have an inherent error i.e., the
Steady State off set

Works well for:

• Level Control

Doesn’t work well: Setpoint p(t)

• for sustained disturbances

Integral Control
In proportional control, the process never quite reaches the set point. With integral action, the controller keeps adjusting until error = 0.

Proportional to both the magnitude of

the error and the duration of the error

𝐾 𝑡
𝑝 𝑡 = 𝑝ҧ + න 𝑒 𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝜏𝐼 0
𝑝ҧ - output at steady state 𝑒 𝑡
𝜏𝐼 - Integral time / reset tie 𝑡

• Integral control can eliminate an offset

𝑡
𝑒 𝑡 න 𝑒 𝑡 𝑑𝑡
• It is oscillatory in nature 0
Integral Control
A sustained error will result in a
larger integral term

The integral term can get so large

𝑒 𝑡
that the system saturates. This is 𝑡
known as Reset Windup

𝑡
Some commercial controllers have 𝑒 𝑡 න 𝑒 𝑡 𝑑𝑡
0
an Anti-Reset Windup property
 Proportional Integral Control
Realistically integral control is not used in isolation and is combined
with proportional control: You will always
have proportional
control in the
system, -
1 𝑡 proportoonal
control acts
𝑝 𝑡 = 𝑝ҧ + 𝐾𝑝 (𝑒 𝑡 + න 𝑒 𝑡 𝑑𝑡) immedialtely
𝜏𝐼 0
Fast response but Integral controls i need some
you can have Slower response but time
proportional onl control but not integral on its own contains offset can eliminate offset

𝑝′ 𝑠 1
= 𝐾𝑝 (1 + )
𝑒(𝑠) 𝜏𝐼 𝑠
 if you have a very noisy system your derivative is going to be very large
especially for oscilating system, we don’t wanrt the system to be noisy

Differential Control we want a table system

Predicts system behaviour and thus

improves settling time
tua D is usually relatively small
𝑑𝑒(𝑡)
𝑝 𝑡 = 𝑝ҧ + 𝜏𝐷
𝑑𝑡
𝑒 𝑡
Reduces settling time of response
𝑡

Can be sensitive to noisy systems (large

changes in derivatives)
𝑒 𝑡
A change in setpoint can cause a large
change in derivative (derivative kick) is the slope positive so i need to adjust my output in the positive way(future act ptoactively)
very sharp change in a very short period of time
Proportional Integral Differential Control
Realistically a combination of Proportional integral and differential
control is used:
P I D

1 𝑡 𝜏𝐷 𝑑𝑒 𝑡
𝑝 𝑡 = 𝑝ҧ + 𝐾𝑝 (𝑒 𝑡 + න 𝑒 𝑡 𝑑𝑡 + )
𝜏𝐼 0 𝑑𝑡

Fast response but

contains offset Slower response but Responds fast
can eliminate offset to fast changes.
Anticipates

𝑝′ 𝑠 1
= 𝐾𝑝 (1 + + 𝜏𝐷 𝑠)
𝑒(𝑠) 𝜏𝐼 𝑠
PID Controller
Proportional Control
• proportional to the error
steady
value
state off-
set

Integral Control
• proportional to both the
magnitude of the error and the
duration of the error
Reduce error but have oscillations

Differential Control
• predicts system behaviour and thus
improves settling time
Settles
PID Controller
Proportional Control
• proportional to the error value

Integral Control
• proportional to both the
magnitude of the error and the
duration of the error

Differential Control
• predicts system behaviour and thus
improves settling time Building a Lego-powered Submarine 4.0 - automatic depth control
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLEH8RJsYgI
XCOS Definitions
Xcos allows you to specify three controller constants:

• Proportional control constant: 𝐾𝑝

𝐾𝑝
• Integration control time:
𝜏𝐼

• Differential control constant: 𝐾𝑝 𝜏𝐼

Using PID controller purely heuristics

Control Variable Recommended Controller

Flowrate P or PI

Level P or PI

Pressure PI

Temperature PID

Composition PID

See Seborg et al. for recommended controller gain values